By Myra P. Saefong
TOKYO (MarketWatch) -- Japanese shares edged out of a negative open to trade modestly higher early Wednesday morning, with the Nikkei 225 Average up 0.3% at 9,433.48 and the Topix at 832.17, up 0.4% in Tokyo. Shares of Kirin Holdings Co. (JP:2503 1,378, +1.00, +0.07%) (KNBWF 15.57, +0.09, +0.59%) climbed 0.9% after the Nikkei reported that the beverage maker plans to boost beer production in Australia and New Zealand. But technology stocks edged lower, with Elpida Memory Inc. (JP:6665 1,079, -50.00, -4.43%) (ELPDF 13.70, -0.20, -1.44%) down 0.8% and Pioneer Corp. (JP:6773 243.00, -9.00, -3.57%) (PNCOF 2.75, -0.09, -3.08%) losing 1.2%. Shares of Toyota Motor Corp. (JP:7203 3,380, -60.00, -1.74%) (TM 76.05, -1.43, -1.85%) gained 1.2% despite news of a recall of 110,000 Tundra vehicles in the U.S. South Korea's Kospi rose 0.4% but Australia's S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.1%. |
